Milan’s Brera Art Gallery is celebrating Giorgio Armani’s 50-year fashion legacy by exhibiting his timeless designs alongside masterpieces by Raphael, Caravaggio, and Bellini. The exhibition, titled Giorgio Armani, Milano, for Love, opened just weeks after the legendary designer passed away at the age of 91, serving as a powerful tribute to his vision of life and art.
Featuring 129 different Armani creations, the selection spans from the 1980s to the present, revealing the brand’s evolution and enduring presence. Visitors encounter an extraordinary dialogue between fashion and fine art — from the iconic double-breasted jacket worn by Richard Gere in American Gigolo to the long navy asymmetric skirt Juliette Binoche wore at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival — all displayed alongside art history’s greatest masterpieces.
Fashion Meets the Old Masters
Brera director Angelo Crespi summarizes the exhibition’s aim:
“Armani never wanted his creations to overshadow the great masters. For him, clothes should empower an individual’s identity without dominating. This exhibition strikes exactly that balance.”
Each room creates its own unique conversation: Juliette Binoche’s gown echoes the blue hues of Bellini’s Madonna and Child; three shimmering dresses glow under the light opposite Raphael’s The Marriage of the Virgin; and the American Gigolo jacket is displayed among Donato Bramante’s frescoes — underlining Armani’s signature elegance and timeless restraint.
The exhibition ends with a symbolic gesture: opposite Francesco Hayez’s iconic Il Bacio, visitors encounter a T-shirt printed with Armani’s portrait, positioning the designer within his own legacy — both as an observer and as a hero of his narrative.
Anoushka Borghesi, Armani’s Global Communications Director, shared her emotions while touring the exhibition:
“I’m sure Armani would have been immensely proud to see this scene.”
Legacy and New Beginnings
The Armani Foundation has announced a series of 50th-anniversary initiatives this week, fulfilling projects the designer envisioned during his lifetime. Among them is the Mariu’ program — named after Armani’s mother — created in collaboration with Caritas to support children’s education across six countries in Asia, Africa, and South America.
Armani’s final personally curated collection will also debut at Brera on Sunday, offering a distilled reflection of his half-century-long career.
The exhibition “Giorgio Armani – 50 Years” will remain open to visitors at the Pinacoteca di Brera until January 11, 2026.
